ST. LOUIS - The timing of Friday's storm could prove tricky for school districts trying to figure out if a snow day or half day is appropriate to keep kids safe.

Nothing like an unexpected early dismissal to get parents scrambling and while no districts have made that call now, they are playing the waiting game, consulting with each other and keeping an eye on the forecast to see how tomorrow develops.

Things are expected to be fine in the morning, but a light wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain could show up around the time many kids are getting out of school.

Even a small amount of ice can do a lot of damage on untreated roads or streets where rain has washed away the chemicals.

Districts are preparing for the unusual timing of this storm.

"Sometimes we have to make a predictive decision and say, well, it looks like it's going to and then make a call earlier in the day to make it that half day or something else, but those are highly unusual situations," said Jana Shortt, spokesperson with Ferguson-Florissant School District.

Something else to consider, with the brutal winter we've had, districts are building up snow days that have to be made up, extending the school year. But, of course, their main priority is keeping kids safe.